WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 15137, 19 March 1913, Page 7

WORK AND WAGES.

THE SLAUGHTERMEN. [Per United Pbess Association.] WELLINGTON, March 19. In anticipation of tho decision of the Arbitration Court in the appeal of the Ngahauranga Slaughtermen's Union, several applications have been made for registration from various, centres in the Wellington industrial district. The Begistrar has received applications for registration from unions at Wauganui (Gastlecliff), Waitara, and Longburn, and ib is expected that registration will be granted immediately all the applicants have complied with the formalities necessary under the Act. The Wellington Slaughtermen's Union held a meeting at Petone on Monday evening. Mr M. J. Reardon was present, and there was a good attendance, considering the number of slaughtermen who have left the district. It is understood that the meeting reaffirmed its decision not to " throw in the sponge," but decided to last out till next season. THE CLOTHING TRADE. INDUSTRIAL AWARD. [Pis United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 19. An award of tho Arbitration Court has been registered, dealing with the dispute between tho New Zealand Federated Tailoresses and Other Clothing Trade Employees' Industrial Association and the New Zealand Wholesale Clothing Manufacturers' Association, covering the conditions of work and wages in the wholesale clothing trade of the Dominion. The award is a lengthy one, as it deals with all the brandies of the trade, but the main point is that tho hours of work for all classes of work shall be 45 per week. The classes of workers recognised by the awardare journeywonien, journeymen, apprentices, improvers, and underrate workers. The term of apprenticeship for all female workers in a clothing factory is fixed at two years, and each worker is also to serve a term of two yeaTs as an improver. Tho wages of apprentices and improvers are fixed on a rising scale of 5s a week for the first six months to £1 2s 6d for the eighth six-monthly period. At the end of the fourth year the worker may be employed as an improver for another year at a wage of £1 5s a week. _ There are provisions as to employment of apprentices, but no limitation of tho number which may be employed. The minimum wage for journey women is fixed at £1 7s 6d a week, for male machinists the minimum is to be £2 15s per -week, for second class chart cutters £3, for stock , cutter and trimmer £2 15s, and for ex- : aminer £2 12s 6d a week. Overtime is to be paid for at the rate of time and a-quarter for the first three hours, and time and a-half afterwards, with double rates for holidays. No piecework is to be . allowed for apprentices to stock and chart cutting, and the trimming term is fixed at five years, and the remuneration from 10s . per week for the first year to £2 a week for the fifth. For pressers the minimum wago is £2 15s a week, but piecework is allowed according to log. Preference is obligatory. The scope of the award is all , New Zealand, and the term from Marcli , 31, 1913, to 17th March, 1916. , The award ; s to operate throughout the Northern, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago and Southland industrial districts. \ Ina memo, annexed to the award the Court state: "The award is based for the , most part on the existing awards. The ' principal alterations are these: (a) The , minimum wage for journeymen has. been fixed at 27s 5d per week, with a provision ' that a fifth year may bo worked as an improver at 25s per week ; (b) a minimum wage lias been fixed for male machinists; J (c) a provision has been inserted with repaid to _ the payment of bonuses. The ■ Workers' Association asked to have the \ system prohibited, but the Court has de- ' dined to do that. It is desirable to ro-pca-t what was said on the subject in connection with the Christchureh ironmouklers' dispute—viz., that the premium or bonus system, if worked under fair conditions, is in the interests of both employer and workers, and instead of being abolished should be encouraged. The objection of the workers in this case to the system: appears to ariso mainly from the fact that many employers do hot take trouble to explain to workers the method by which the amount of the bonus is arrived at. The clause now inserted in the award will remove this objection, and will help, it is hoped, to make the system work satisfac- , torily." CANTERBURY JOURNALISTS. The hearing of the dispute between the - Canterbury Journalists' Union and the prop prietors of tho 'Lyttelton Times' and i 'Press' was not concluded when the Con- > ciliation Council rose at Christchureh yes--1 terday. An agreement has been arrived at re- , gaTding the hours, which are not to ex- [ ceed 96 in a fortnight, the excess to be , made up by time off within a month. The s staffing proportions were agreed on, and i the reporters' salaries were fixed as fols low:—Seniors, £5 10s; generals, £4 15s; > and juniors, £3, £3 ss, and £3 10a per > week. One clear day and a night from 6 ; p.m. are to bo allowed off to reporters " weekly, and all journalists are to receive two weeks' holiday annually on full pay. , The question of preference was discussed, . and the representatives of the proprietors, , who objected to preference in any form, L undertook to consider tho question of I granting what is known as "the Court's 5 clause." s MARINE ENGINEERS. ' _ The Marine Engineers' Institute are taki ing steps to have several of tho smaller . shipping companies joined as parties to the . agreement recently arrived at with the 1 Union Company. In a day or two appli- ; cations will probably be filed to join tho ■ Blackball Goal Company, the Westport Coal Company, the Maoriland Steamship ' Company, the Anchor Steamship Company, 1 and the Canterbury Steamship Company t as parties, but only in respect of such of . their vessels as come within the scope of I the present agreement. Vessels of small ■ engine power will, for the time at any ' rate, continue to be exempt.